Controlling device for motor-vehicles.



No. 800,843. PATBNTBD OCT. 3, 1905. V. E. GHAMBBRLIN.

GONTROLLING DEVIGE POR 'MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION TILED IAEA?, 1905` 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor by UQAM @www Wfxffys.

PATENTBD 00T. 3, 1905.

V. E. CHAMBERLIN. CONTROLLINGDBVIGB POR MOTOR VEHICLES.

No. 800,843. i

APPLICATION FILED MARA?, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

umm-ulm@- Inven tor No. 800,843. EATENTED OCT. 3, 1905. V. E. GHAMBERLIN. GONTROLLNG- DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHCLES.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR,.17, 1905.

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Attest I Inventor:

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No. 800,843. PATENTED 00T. 3, 1905. V. E. OHAMBERLIN.

OONTROLLING DEVICE POR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FLED HART?, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

She. Q we k 'E HQS www m s@ Attest l i Inventor b (may. @MM P MME/s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR E. CHAMBERLIN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO POPE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A COR- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONTROLLING vDEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

*Patented oct. s, 1905.

Application led March 17,` 1905. Serial No. 250,520.

To LZZ w/wm t may concern:

Be it known that LVICTOR E. CHAMBERLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at N o. 2128 Bellefontaine street, in the city of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to means for controlling the speed and direction of movement of motor-vehicles, and is more particularly concerned with the means for controlling the speed and direction of movement of electrically-propelled vehicles.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation, partly broken out, of a suilicient 2O portion of an electrically-propelled motorvehicle to illustate the application of the present invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation and on a larger scale of the controlling devices, the controlling lever or handle being broken olf. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end view of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement and connection of the controller-contacts. Fig'. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating' the electrical connections of the fixed controller-contacts to the various generating, measuring, and translating devices. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the windings of the motor shown in Fig. 6.

The vehicle to which the invention is applied may be of any usual or suitable construction, and, as shown in Fig. l, it comprises 40 a suitable battery-receiving body a, supported upon driving-wheels b and steering-wheels c, the body being provided with a steering-handle (Z, suitably connected to the steering-wheels, and with a controller e, suitably and conveniently placed with respect to the vehicle-seat,

being secured, as shown in the present instance, to a vertical partition or support c beneath the seat, while the handle c2 thereof projects upwardly through or at the end of the seat in a position convenient for manipulation. As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the controller handle or lever c projects through a guard-plate f, havmg therein a bifurcated slot for the direction of the movements of the lever. Then the vehicle is at rest, the controlling-lever stands in its normal position against the stop f. For the several forward speeds the controlling-lever is moved forward from this normal position (indicated in full lines in Fig. 4) through the slot f For the several speeds backward the lever is first moved laterally outward or away from the operator and is then moved backward through the slot f 3. For the application of the electric brake the controlling-lever is first moved laterally inward or toward the operator and is then moved backward in the slot f4. Two springs f5 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) are provided to bear upon the controller-handle when it is in its normal or off7 position and to retain it in line with the slot f2 against accidental movement from one side to the other, but yielding in one direction or the other to permit lateral movement of the lever, as required. The guard-plate or lever-housingf is also provided, as at f, with a seat for the reception of a bodily-removable emergency or safety-plug switch, (indicated at f7.) The location of this plug-switchin the lever-housing in immediate proximity to the controller-handle is most convenient for the operator.

The controller-hamile e2 is arranged to operate the controller drum or cylinder through any convenient means. As represented in the drawings it is carried by a shaft g, being pivoted, as at c3, between two cheek-pieces ci, which are fixed to the shaft g. This arrangement permits the controller-handle to have the lateral movement which is desired in order that it may be moved into one or another of the slots in the lever-housing, which forms a directing and locking means for the lever. The shaft g is suitably supported in bearings on the frame of the controller and carries a gear-segment f/', which engages a pinion L', mounted on the shaft of the controller drum or cylinder z.. The latter is mounted in suitable bearings carried by the frame of the controller and is provided in any usual or convenient manner with a series ol contacts 1 722 71 /ff f'r f 'fl fs, which are diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive. The contacts of the drum cooperate with a series of fixed contacts m m2 /mf m" mi m" m7 m in a usual manner to eli'ect certain electrical connections between the source of elec- IOO trical energy and the translating devices, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. A notched wheel 7&2, secured to the controllerdrum /1/ and cooperating with a spring 73, secured to the frame of the controller in the usual manner, insures a step-by-step movement of the controller.

rlhe various connections effected by the movement of the controller will be readily understood upon reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7, in Which such connections are represented diagrammatically, it being understood that Fig. 5 illustrates the groupings of the contacts carried by the controller -drum. To avoid undue enlargement of this description, the several contacts on the drum will be referred to hereinafter and also designated by reference-letters as if they were members of but one group, although reference will be rnade to the several positions, which will clearly indicate the groups referred to. The fixed contacts m m2, &c., are severally connected to the source of energy and the various translating devices, as clearly indicated in Fig. 6, in which it clearly appears that the contact m is connected to the positive charging terminal or terminals a and through the removable emergency-plug f7 and the armature o of the motor 0 with the contact mx. The contact m is also connected with the contact fm,2 through a suitable resistance fr. The contact m3 is connected with the positive terminal of the storage battery B. The contact mi is connected with the negative charging terminal or terminals a2 and with the negative terminal of the battery B and through one of the fields @fof the motor 0 with contact-mf. Contact m" is connected through one of' the fields ogvwith the contact m7. The ammeter-shunt of the usual voltammeter p may be connected in between the contact 17?/ and the motor o, and the voltmeter leads into the battery connection through the contacts mgm". Lights, as at s s', and an electric alarm, as at t, may be connected into the battery-circuit through suitable controlling devices.

Referring' now to the contacts on the controller-drum and assuming that the controllerhandle is in its normal or off position, as indicated in full lines in Fig. t, it will be observedvthat the contacts 7 and 7c3, constituting this group, are connected so that the circuit between the battery and the motor is broken and the resistance between the contacts m and m2 is short-circuited, so that the proper connections are made for charging the battery. In the group of contacts for the first speed forward, which are brought into electric connection with the stationary contacts m, &c., upon the first movement of' the handle e2 in the forward direction, the contacts and 7c, 7^ and 79, and 7c? and 7:8 are connected in pairs, as indicated, so that the battery, motor-fields, armature, and resistance are connected in series, whereby the voltage is lowered, and the vehicle is started at its slow speed. rl`he next forward movement of the controller-handle brings the nextor second speed group of' contacts into electric connection with the fixed contacts 712/, te., and as contact 7c is connected with contact 7:, while contacts 7"'l and 7f and contacts 7;7 and 75 are connected in pairs, as before, the battery, motor-fields, and armature are connected in series with the resistance cut out, so that the armature and fields receive the full batteryvoltage, and a higher speed in a forward direction is secured. The final movement of the controller-handle in the forward direction brings the contacts of the third speed group into connection with the fixed contacts, and as contacts 7: and 75, contacts 7;" and 7:", and contacts 7;, 7:7, and 7;s are connected` as indicated,

the battery and armature will be connected in series with the motor-fields in parallel, so that the iield strength is weakened and a higher speed attained.

It' the vehicle be coasting with the controllerhandle in its normal or off position and it be desired to apply an electrical brake--that is, to cause the motor to be short-circuited through the resistance, whereby the energy developed by the rotating motor is transformed into heat-fthe controller-handle is lirst moved laterally inward or toward the operator and then backward in the slot f'. In the brakinggroup of contacts thus brought into operative relation with the contacts m, Sac., contacts 7:2, 77, and 7u are connected, and contacts 735, 7'4, and les are connected, so that the motorfields are connected in parallel and reversed, while the armature and resistance are connected in series. Themotor is then driven as a dynamo, and the current generated is shorteircuited through the resistance and is transformed into heat, retarding the speed of the vehicle. 'If the controller-handle be moved from its normal or oif position lirst outward or away from the operator and then backward, the "first reverse 7 line of contacts will be brought into operative relation with the fixed contacts, and as contact 7' is connected with contact 7:7, contact 7: with contact 7?, and contact 7:"l with contact 7:` the armature connections are reversed and the battery, motor-fields, and resistance are connected in series, yielding slow rotation in backward direction A further backward movement of' the controller-handle e in the slotf73 brings the last set of contacts into operative relation with the fixed contacts, with the relations established as justdescribed, except that the contact 7" is directly connected with the contact 77 and the resistance is cut out, thereby yielding a higher speed backward. It will be obvious that the contacts may be arranged in any desired relation and that all of the various speed and other conditions are secu red by movement of the single controller-handle e in the proper direction.

IOO

IIO

starts the vehicle forward at its slowest,

speed and then yields higher speeds in succession, while movement of the same controller-handle from its initial or off position backward either brings the electrical brake into operation or causes the vehicle to move backward, according to the lateral movement of the lever in one direction or the other before the backward movement thereof is begun.

I claim as my inventionl. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a motor, a controller therefor comprisingl a plurality of groups of contacts and connections to determine the speed and direction of movement of the motor, a controller-handle movable laterally and forward and backward, and aspring bearing upon said handlel to retain it in line for movement in a fore-and-aft direction and yieldingto permit lateral movement, substantially as described.

2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a motor, a controller therefor comprising a plurality of groups of contacts and connections to determine the speed and direction of movement of the motor, a controller-handle movable laterally and forward and backward, a housing having a bifurcated slot to guide the controller-handle, and a spring' bearing upon said handle to retain it in line for movement in a fore-and-aft direction and yielding to prevent lateral movement, substantially as described.

3. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a motor, a controller therefor comprising a plurality of groups of contacts and connections to determine the speed and direction of movement of the motor, a controllerhandle movable laterally and forward and backward, and stationary springs bearing upon opposite sides of said handle to retain it in line for movement in a fore-and-aft direction and yielding to permit lateral movement in either direction, substantially as described.

4. In a motor\'cliicle, the combination of a motor, a controller therefor comprising a plurality of groups of contacts and connections to determine the speed and direction of movement of the motor, a controller-handle for said motor, a housing' slotted to guide the controller-handle, a bodily-removable switchplug included in the motor-circuit, and a seat provided for said switch-plug in said housing adjacent to said handle, substantially as described.

Specification signed and witnessed this 8th day of March, A. D. 1905.

VICTOR E. CHAMBERLIN.

In presence of- Gno. L. BIXBY, R. W. Jones. 

